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16/07/2025
Chinchilla’s Leanne and Greg Evans explored Australia's northern cotton industry during the 2023 Rabobank ‘Top End Cotton Tour’.
Modern agriculture thrives thanks to the wealth of technology, innovation and knowledge-sharing available, yet sometimes nothing inspires a farmer more than looking over a neighbour’s fence.
And with Rabobank’s Knowledge Tours essentially providing a unique window into how other farmers farm, the tours provide valuable insights for Chinchilla cotton growers Greg and Leanne Evans.
From Chinchilla to the world
This month Greg and Leanne, who have been growing dryland cotton for the past 35 years, will take part in Rabobank’s Brazil Cotton Tour, where they will join 29 fellow cotton producers across Australia for a first-hand look at the innovation and practices adopted by local farmers.
While Greg admits he’s not sure what to expect from the Brazil tour, having previously taken part in Rabobank’s 2023 ‘Top End Cotton Tour’, he knows it will be a bucket list opportunity.
“It’s always good to get off the farm to broaden your thinking and expand your network, and these tours provide a rare chance to take a behind-the-scenes look at farms locally, and globally, and how their opportunities and challenges may align with our own.”
“Every time I travel it either makes me envious, or glad to be back home,” Greg smiles, admitting the Top End tour quashed any aspirations he may have had helping pioneer the Northern cotton industry.
“I guess I was curious to see whether there was a business opportunity for me, and if I was 20 years younger and a bit more adventurous then for sure, yet it certainly made me appreciate the ease of logistics we have here in Southern Queensland.”
Rabobank’s 2023 ‘Top End Tour’ participants.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the scale of the operations in Brazil, and meeting local cotton growers to see how they manage their challenges and opportunities – and what insights I can gain and apply to my own operation.”
Learning from other farmers is a concept Greg is also able to adopt thanks to annual cotton picking contracting in NSW’s Macquarie Valley.
“I really enjoy getting down into that part of the world each year, they grow great cotton in the Macquarie and getting onto these leading farms and seeing how they work and the yields they’re able to achieve is always a worthwhile opportunity.”
Committed to cotton
Greg and Leanne have gradually increased their cotton growing area over the past three decades, and today it accounts for 50 percent of their enterprise.
With a focus on summer cropping only, cotton is grown in rotation with millet, which Greg believes is the best option for stubble and moisture retention, and weed control.
And despite farming in such a productive region, he believes dryland cotton is a better business decision than any other commodity.
“Cotton hangs on for longer than grain during the dry gaps in the season that we seem to be increasingly experiencing, it doesn’t seem to fail as quickly as grain,” he explains.
“I like that cotton has a longer growing season, if there’s rain at the end of the season the plant will throw out a few more bolls, which you also don’t get with grain – cotton’s spread of season represents greater potential.”
The ease of harvest also alleviates stress.
“I don’t have to mess around with augers, bins and silos – once the cotton is wrapped it can sit in the weather, and rain during harvest is one less thing I have to worry about.”
Contracting affords Greg an opportunity for cotton growing insights in different regions.
Rabobank simplifying business
Taking a simplified approach to business, Greg prefers to do one thing – cotton – and do it well.
As such, the simplicity of Rabobank’s All in One account is well aligned with his business philosophy.
“I’ve been very impressed with the All in One account, you know exactly where you’re sitting financially and it certainly allows me to sleep better at night!”
“Previously I had various accounts and was constantly moving money between them, but with everything in one account I can see all my positions at a glance, and it’s simplified and streamlined the way we manage our finances.”
Having recently completed this year’s cotton pick, Greg described the season as ‘a mixed bag’, with the early crop benefitting from additional rainfall.
Greg and Leanne enjoy a ‘Top End Tour’ sunset.
A welcome addition to this year’s harvest were Greg and Leanne’s two children – Tyrone, who is enjoying a ‘gap year’ at home after completing year 12, and daughter Tahlia who is studying agricultural science externally through Central Queensland University.
This is the first year the family has harvested together, and for Greg and Leanne it marked the start of a new chapter.
“Whether or not the kids choose to return to the farm remains to be seen, yet we’re all very proud to be part of the Australian cotton industry and it’s been exciting being part of the industry’s evolution over the past 35 years.”